From WikiLang
 Nahuatl Pages
|
|---|
| Introduction · Phonology · Pronouns · Particles · Nouns · Verbs · Adjectives · Numbers · Loanwords · Dialects · Toponyms |
|
Nahuatl |
||||
| Uto-Aztecan | Aztecan |  Mexico |
Latin | |
Contents |
Number system
Nahuatl has a vigesimal or base 20 number system. In the pre-Columbian Nahuatl script, the numbers 20, 400 (20²) and 8,000 (20³) were represented by a flag, a feather, and a bag, respectively.
It also makes use of numeral classifiers, similar to languages such as Chinese and Japanese.
Basic numbers
| 1 | cē | Becomes cem- when prefixed to another element. |
| 2 | ōme | Becomes ōm- when prefixed to another element. |
| 3 | ēyi | Becomes (y)ē- or (y)ēx- when prefixed to another element. |
| 4 | nāhui | Becomes nāhu-/nāuh- when prefixed to another element. |
| 5 | mācuīlli | Derived from māitl "hand". |
| 6 | chicuacē | chicua- "5" + cē "1" |
| 7 | chicōme | chicua- "5" + ōme "2" |
| 8 | chicuēyi | chicua- "5" + ēi "3" |
| 9 | chiucnāhui | chicua- "5" + nāhui "4" |
| 10 | mahtlāctli | From māitl "hand" + tlāctli "torso". |
| 15 | caxtōlli | |
| 20 | cēmpōhualli | From cēm- "1" + pōhualli "a count" (from pōhua "to count"). |
| 400 | cēntzontli | From cēn- "1" + tzontli "hair". |
| 8000 | cēnxiquipilli | From cēn- "1" + xiquipilli "bag". |
Compound numbers
Multiples of 20, 400 or 8,000 are formed by replacing cēm- or cēn- with another number. E.g. ōmpōhualli "40" (2×20), mahtlāctzontli "4,000" (10×400), nāuhxiquipilli "32,000" (4×8,000).
The numbers in between those above—11 to 14, 16 to 19, 21 to 39, and so forth—are formed by following the larger number with a smaller number which is to be added to the larger one. The smaller number is prefixed with om- or on-, or in the case of larger units, preceded by īpan "on it" or īhuān "with it". E.g. mahtlāctli oncē "11" (10+1), caxtōlonēyi "18" (15+3), cēmpōhualmahtlāctli omōme "32" (20+10+2); cēntzontli caxtōlpōhualpan nāuhpōhualomōme "782" (1×400+15×20+4×20+2).
Classifiers
Depending on the objects being counted, Nahuatl may use a classifier or counter word. These include:
- -tetl for small, round objects (literally "rock")
- -pāntli for counting rows
- -tlamantli for foldable or stackable things
- -ōlōtl for roundish or oblong-shaped things (literally "maize cob")
Which classifier a particular object takes is loose and somewhat arbitrary.
Ordinal numbers
Ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) are formed by preceding the number with ic or inic.
